(CNN) - A controversial new immigration law in Arizona might impact the vote in the mid-term elections later this year. For one, it could energize Hispanics and bring them out in large numbers to vote. University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato says it's too soon to tell exactly what the impact might be.

(CNN) - Political candidates have learned to use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social networking tools to promote their campaigns. But is there room for yet another?

"If you look at these types of sites, the last thing we need to do is start creating these networks all over again because it is pretty time-consuming," says David Almacy, the White House Internet Director for much of former President Bush George W. Bush's second term.

Now a senior vice president at Edelman Communications, Almacy said that he worries some new "fad" for communicating a political message might come along forcing campaigns to start from scratch, which he said could frustrate supporters who are comfortable with the current online networking tools.

He thinks the major sites have not matured completely, but are well established and useful enough that "we're on the cusp of it coming into more of a 'Golden Age'" with less need for something new to engage voters and activists.

(CNN) - A Pew Research Center study released Sunday found that trust in government is at its lowest point in more than half a century.

The Pew survey comes as a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll also shows that trust in the federal government is about as low as it was in 1994, when Democrats lost control of Congress.

University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato told CNN Radio's John Lisk that there have been many times when government has lost the trust of the people, usually over some scandal, such as Watergate.

In this situation, Sabato said that the frustration with government is due in part to a bad economy and dismay over the recently passed health care reform legislation.

Washington (CNN) - Touted as the first "cattle call" for potential GOP 2012 presidential contenders, the Southern Republican Leadership Conference just wrapped up Sunday. But according to CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser, the GOP gathering may have been "more about the mid-term elections, this year."

The Senate is almost ready to wrap up work on a health care reform bill before going home for the holidays. CNN Capitol Hill correspondent Lisa Desjardins tells CNN's John Lisk how lawmakers are handling the final few hours.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Will immigration reform return as the next big congressional fight? CNN's Dick Uliano
found high hopes at a Latino rally - but the political currents may berunning against those who want to overhaul the nation's immigration laws.